Misty Copeland’s Feature Biopic in Development at New Line

Gregory Allen (Remember the Titans) is set to adapt Life In Motion: An Unlikely Ballerina, the biography of Misty Copeland who made history by becoming the first African American soloist dancer with the prestigious American Ballet Theatre. The bestselling book has been acquired by New Line, and the film, will chronicle her ground breaking journey to reach unprecedented heights.

Copeland has been very open about her upbringing. She was one of six kids raised in a motel room while her single mom worked multiple jobs to keep food on the table. Over the course of her career, she was told numerous times that her body was the wrong build to be a professional ballerina, yet despite all of the odds that presented themselves, she was able to overcome them all to make history and is changing the face of ballet.

“We were pretty much homeless, and we were living in a motel trying to scrape up enough money just to go to the corner store and get a cup of noodle soup to eat. It was probably just the worst time in my childhood when ballet found me.” – Misty Copeland

Earlier this year, Copeland was honored at the Variety Power of Women luncheon in New York City (alongside Lupita Nyong’o, Megyn Kelly, Julianne Moore and Vera Wang) for her work with Project Plié, an American Ballet Theatre (ABT) and Boys and Girls Club partnership initiative designed to increase racial and ethnic representation in American ballet. Misty’s meteoric rise as the first African American principal dancer in American Ballet Theater history was heralded by Time magazine in 2015, labeling Misty Copeland as one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

“I was discovered at a local Boys & Girls Club, on a basketball court. I went from living in a motel to dancing at the Metropolitan Opera House. Through my charity, Project Plié I am now working with Boys & Girls clubs across the country to help increase diversity in dance.”

“We are not just plucking (children) out of underprivileged communities, but surrounding them with teachers and executive staff who look like them and can relate to their experiences. I am reminded by families and children that I meet every day that representation matters. Being able to see yourself or someone who looks like you on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera House matters.” – Misty Copeland

Howard is best known for penning Remember the Titans; however, is also the scribe behind the Harriet Tubman feature film, Harriet, that will be directed by Seith Mann (Homeland, The Wire, Friday Night Lights, The Walking Dead) and produced by Debra Martin Chase, Charles King’s MACRO and New Balloon’s Daniela Taplin Lundberg.

About The Author

K. Nicole Mills is the Founder of HBR Media. She transitioned from Wall Street to television and film development, and has worked at NBCUniversal, Universal Pictures, and Showtime Networks. She currently develops digital programming for premium networks. Reach out anytime! info@hbrmedia.org